AAP welcomes Delhi court's decision to form medical board to examine CM Kejriwal

AAP on Monday, 22 April welcomed a Delhi court's decision directing AIIMS to constitute a medical board to examine Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying the direction proves there is no diabetologist in the Tihar jail.

A Delhi court on Monday directed the AIIMS to constitute a medical board to examine Kejriwal to determine if he needs insulin to control his blood sugar levels and said the home-cooked food that the AAP chief is consuming is different from the diet chart prepared by his doctor.

Kaveri Baweja, a special judge for CBI and ED cases, passed the order while declining Kejriwal's plea for video consultation with his doctor in the presence of his wife.

Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said, "Kejriwal is in Tihar jail for about 22 days. He has been saying for many days that his sugar level is increasing and there is no diabetes specialist in the jail. He has been demanding insulin. Today, the court's decision made it clear that there is no diabetes specialist in Tihar jail."

"This is a welcome step and has proved that whatever he was saying was true," he said.

His Cabinet colleague Atishi said the court order proves that Kejriwal did not receive the right medical supervision in Tihar jail.

"Today, after 22 days in judicial custody, the Rouse Avenue court has directed the Tihar jail authorities to constitute a medical board of specialised doctors, including endocrinologists from AIIMS, who will examine and look after the severe diabetic condition of Kejriwal," she said.

"We hope that this medical board will sit today only to do his checkup and start giving him insulin from today itself," she added.

Kejriwal's sugar level has been above 300 for the last 10 days and he has been continuously demanding insulin as it is the only resort to control his levels of sugar, the minister said.

Kejriwal was arrested on 21 March by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money-laundering case linked to the Delhi government's now-scrapped excise policy. He has been lodged in Tihar jail since 1 April.

Meanwhile, Delhi High Court listed for hearing on 15 May Kejriwal's petition challenging the summonses issued to him by the ED.